Who is who
Musical Direction
Claudio Pini: "inventive, inventive, inventive"
Claudio Pini (*1971) is active as steelband leader, arranger and composer in a variety of projects. Several extended stays in Trinidad&Tobago, the homeland of the steelpan, expand his experience with the instrument. In 2002 he concludes his musical studies at Lucerne Jazz School with distinction – a BBC documentary portrays him as the first musician to finish a higher formal musical education on the steelpan in Europe. Since then has performed as soloist in a variety of ensembles, including his own band projects.
His reputation as arranger and composer for steel orchestra reaches over the Atlantic: "Inventive, inventive, inventive" the British judge Richard Murphy wrote at the first World Steelband Festival in Trinidad & Tobago in 2000 about Pini's arrangement of the calypso "Mind your Business", which he wrote for the Swiss formation "Panch2000", and which crucially added to the Swiss orchestra's success at this competition.
ferrum helveticum is presently Pini's most ambitious steelpan project.
Yaira Yonne: Classical Musician with a Fascination for Crossover
ferrum regularly cooperates with the conductor and composer Yaira Yonne.
Yaira Yonne (*1965) is a professor for conducting at the University of Lucerne. Additionally, she is a freelance conductor in various projects in and outside of Switzerland.
Her formal education she received from Jiri Stàrek (Frankfurt a.M.), Thüring Bräm (Luzern) and Dominique Rouits (Paris), where she concluded her studies with distinction in 1999. Further important musical inputs she received from the internationally acclaimed jazz percussionist Pierre Favre.
Yaira Yonne is very familiar with the steelpan: In 2000 ("Panch2000") and in 2002 ("London Ebony Steel Orchestra") she lead two large formations (60 members) to European and World Steelband Festivals with great success.
Since 2004 she also plays 6 Bass with ferrum.
Band
Soprano Pans
Ädu Bigler
Alain "Lali" Hofer
Claudio Pini
Irene Löw
Lilly Bertschi
Michèle Zweifel
Nadia Möschli
Double Soprano Pans
Flo Aeschimann
Kri Fischer
Double Alto Pans (Double Seconds)
Matz Mattenberger
Tina Büchler
Yucca Kaufmann
Double Tenor Pans (Double Guitars)
Na Roth
Sabe Bigler
Stöffu Bigler
Triple Tenor Pans
Fippu Romanens
Six Bass
Doris Meyer
Miriam Wyss
Rosmarie Büchler
Yaira Yonne
Percussion
Alex Strässle (Conga, Small Percussion)
Annette Brand (Small Percussion)
Drumset
open position